Do you feel that you are pretty?

marshmellow

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 5:37 pm

Barbara wrote:

bluebird wrote:

amother wrote:

Pretty is a young girl word. You can be old and cute, attractive, or "handsome", but you can't be old and pretty. Or if you are old and pretty, like Barbara Cartland, it means you've never grown up and are still trying to pass yourself off as 17 when you're 62--which is only pathetic and not handsome, attractive or cute at all.

I think this is relative. I think people significantly older than oneself don't look pretty. But when you're 62, you'll almost certainly be thinking of other 62-year-olds as pretty or handsome.

Funny thing is, I think she's got it backwards.

"Cute" is young. "Cute" is a little girl with pigtails, or who lost her first tooth. A teenager may be cute. A woman in her 20s is pushing it. Beyond that, "cute" is no longer appropriate or appealing.

Pretty is forever. Michelle Obama and Ann Romney are both pretty. Neither are cute. Sasha and Malia are cute.

elderly ladies are sometimes cute and adorable. I was just watching a video with my best friend of a wedding and we both pointed out how sweet her grandma is! she has a pretty little face

eschaya

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 8:55 pm

I'm not drop dead gorgeous but I'm far from ugly too. Since I'm in that middle area, how pretty I feel depends on my mood and on how dressed up I am. Now that I'm postpartum it requires a bit more effort to get to that really pretty zone (clothes just don't look right on me...) but on the whole I am pleased with how I look. And dh thinks I'm gorgeous, so who am I to convince him otherwise?!

zaq

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 8:57 pm

Barbara wrote:

.

Pretty is forever. Michelle Obama and Ann Romney are both pretty. Neither are cute. Sasha and Malia are cute.

Neither Obama nor Romney is cute, that's true, but neither would I describe either as "pretty". Past a certain age, you're no longer pretty. You may be good-looking or attractive or even quite beautiful, but "pretty" is too insipid a term for a grown woman unless she, too, is insipid. Cuteness in an adult has an element of personality. Gracie Allen was cute. Goldie Hawn is cute. In a way, Elena Kagan is cute, at least in some photos. Katharine Hepburn was neither pretty nor cute, and Audrey Hepburn was both gorgeous AND cute.

33055

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 9:13 pm

zaq wrote:

Barbara wrote:

.

Pretty is forever. Michelle Obama and Ann Romney are both pretty. Neither are cute. Sasha and Malia are cute.

I am past that certain age but my husband thinks I am gorgeous so I won't tell him I no longer am. Maybe that why Hashem made our vision not as sharp as we get older. I don't see his flaws either and that's how it should be.

amother

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 9:30 pm

Most of us fall into the average range...we all have some features that are special. If we are kind and good hearted, we automatically look beautiful to those around us.
The models and actresses, films and magazine photos are all retouched and computerized.
Take a look at this one

www.youtube.com/watch?v=omBfg3UwkYM

No one really is that gorgeous out there, unless they spend a lot of money to get that way...

Many famous actresses were successful with their awful noses (Barbara Streisand) and many others.

amother

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 9:31 pm

Glad to see that the majority of us thinks we are pretty, whether we are or not.
Many people I know think they are gorgeous when they are barely above average.
Many very pretty people think they are terribly ugly, feel naked without makeup (that is their expression not mine) and many are just not looking into the mirror realistically.

amother

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 9:53 pm

amother wrote:

Not so. I'm sure I'm not the only one who knows some people are really really beautiful. The type that when you spot her somewhere you automatically look again.
And I don't mean exotic looking or some striking feature like big blue eyes. Just a face that is perfect, with perfect features that all compliment each other and beautiful coloring, etc.

And they didn't pay any money for that.

amother

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 10:00 pm

I consider myself average. B"H.
Like others my feelings about myself depend alot on my mood and my surrounding. When I see someone is really not pretty, I feel so thankful to Hashem for making me nice looking even if it's not beautiful.

And I wonder if I'm the only one who is thankful that I'm not drop dead gorgeous. I find that to be a very big nisayon in many ways. But mostly I would worry about physical danger. Yes, crazy men are not necessarily looking for pretty women when they want to do something, but I do think that a beautiful woman is more likely to be in danger than a plain faced woman.

Though I might just be saying this because I know of a specific, sad story about an absolutely beautiful lady.

TranquilityAndPeace

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 10:29 pm

I think that a very sad thing is that most of us agree regarding who is pretty and who is not. It's sad that the media has conditioned us that a certain 'look' is pretty, and other looks are not pretty.

"Al ta'am va'rei'ach ain le'hisvakei'ach" - Chazal say that there are no arguments on tastes and smells. Meaning, that there's no right or wrong when it comes to taste.

- Nobody says that pistachio ice cream is indisputably the best flavor, because we all realize that all people have their own preferences.

- Nobody says that roast chicken and potatoes is the best supper in the world, because we all realize that all people have their own preferences.

- Nobody says that 69.4 degrees F is the best indoor temperature, because we all realize that all people have their own preferences.

- Nobody says that the very best smell is lemon/rose/sandalwood, because we all realize that all people have their own preferences.

Yet, unfortunately, most of us are a product of the Western culture, where a certain 'look' has been 'brainwashed' into our psyches as beautiful.

Years ago, plump women were considered attractive, as the thin ones were definitely too poor for much food. Men had the same desires then that they do now; they were just conditioned as to which 'look' is considered beautiful differently than we are today.

I think this is one of the most damaging aspects of Western culture, and it's so ingrained upon us that we don't even realize that we're affected by it. If we'd grow up and live without the outside culture affecting our perspectives (although it's obviously impossible to live in a vacuum!), we'd find that we all have very different tastes regarding which type of 'looks' we see as pretty.

Superwife

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 10:32 pm

Well, depends if I look in the mirror or not. I am good looking, but nowhere near drop dead gorgeous. I have clear olive skin (with dark veins under my eyes Sad

) small nicely shaped lips, high cheek bones and an oval face. But I have a hooked nose that sticks out like a sore thumb, and my eyes are small (which wouldnt be a problem if my nose was also small). So to remedy the situation, I wear heavy eye make up which really doubles the size of my eyes by like 300%. I am slim ( after first baby I gained a size and cudnt get rid of it, which, for me is horrific. I am not fat, but not my caving-in-self that I used to be) I am average height and DH thinks I look pretty. Not gorgeous but pretty enough for him to be SOMETIMES attracted to me. Oh and enough for some random shvartzes to be SOMETIMES attracted to me...(who asked them?? Twisted Evil

) If I put up an attitude, I feel sxy and good looking. But I always feel a pang when I see a little miss perfect walking down the street......sighhhh. Batting Eyelashes

TranquilityAndPeace

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 10:35 pm

Mrs.K wrote:

IMHopinion wrote:

PICS please?! Wave

Yeah let's do that! Everyone can post a picture of themselves and we can rate it from 1-10. That's much more accurate then a poll. Just think, the possibilities are endless. I can PM someone saying, "You're obviously very attractive, do you perhaps have a look-alike son for my Kreindle?" Or, "I have a snood business and I'd love to use your head to model my pieces." Or even, "You obviously need a nose job. May I recommend my plastic surgeon husband? Mention, "Imamother" for a 10% discount."

Why did no one think of this sooner?

We could start a thread with our wedding photos; all kallahs are beautiful! (I'd have to scan my picture, as my wedding took place during those dark ages of film photos in the 90's!)

joy613

Thu, Nov 08 2012, 11:07 pm

I came across this quote that I thought is apropo to this thread:

"There's a difference between pretty and beautiful.
When someone is pretty, they have a good appearance.
But when someone is beautiful, they shine on the inside and out."

It really is true, and I do know quite a lot of women who I think are beautiful but not necessarily pretty. And vice versa.